TL;DR
- Immortals defeated Team Liquid 5-2 in week 4 of 2020 LCS Spring Split
- Broxah’s debut was marred by early mistakes and lack of team practice time
- Xmithie’s veteran presence and objective control proved decisive in the matchup
- Team Liquid’s communication and ultimate timing issues highlighted roster integration problems
- The victory showcased Immortals’ continuous improvement throughout the season’s first month
The competitive intensity of the 2020 LCS Spring Split reached a crucial point during week four’s opening match between Team Liquid and Immortals. Both squads entered the contest with identical 4-2 records, creating significant playoff implications for the early season standings. While Immortals secured their position near the top of the leaderboard, Liquid’s loss dropped them to a concerning ninth place, highlighting the league’s competitive parity.
This matchup carried extraordinary significance for Team Liquid, marking the long-awaited competitive debut of Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen as their new starting jungler. His arrival had been delayed by visa complications, creating roster instability during the critical opening weeks. The narrative deepened as Broxah faced his predecessor, Jake “Xmithie” Puchero, the only player Liquid had replaced from their previous roster, adding personal stakes to the professional rivalry.
Both organizations approached the draft phase with strategically sound compositions built around durable front lines and exceptional engagement capabilities. Team Liquid prioritized Ornn and Lee Sin for their new jungler while securing Kalista for veteran marksman Yiliang “Doubelift” Peng, creating a composition that excelled in sustained teamfighting. Immortals countered with their own robust setup, selecting Nautilus for additional crowd control and placing Xmithie on Sejuani, a champion perfectly suited to his methodical, objective-focused playstyle.
Strategic vision control proved immediately decisive when Immortals’ defensive ward placement near their blue buff revealed Broxah’s positioning in the red jungle quadrant. The Danish jungler overextended during his pathing, resulting in first blood for Immortals in under three minutes—a devastating start for Liquid’s new addition. Team Liquid attempted to mitigate the early setback by sacrificing Rift Herald priority to secure the first Dragon, but Immortals capitalized on top lane tower plates to establish a commanding 1,000 gold advantage before the ten-minute mark.
Xmithie’s veteran expertise became increasingly evident as he systematically punished Liquid’s mispositioning while maintaining relentless objective focus. The former Liquid jungler leveraged his team’s early advantage to create lane pressure across the map, effectively constraining Liquid’s options. Team Liquid attempted resource recovery through Ryze split-pushing in the bottom lane, but Immortals demonstrated superior team coordination and map control. IMT consistently secured objectives, turrets, and eliminations with methodical precision, showcasing their four weeks of developed synergy.
Confronting Immortals empowered by Baron Nashor’s buff, Team Liquid struggled to identify defensive openings for their base protection. The organization opted to continue Ryze’s split-push pressure in the top lane, but Paul “sOAZ” Boyer provided the necessary response, ensuring map pressure remained firmly in Immortals’ control. The red-side squad maintained a substantial 5,000 gold lead, systematically accelerating their advantage into the late-game phase.
Team Liquid displayed concerning deficiencies in both damage output and team communication throughout the match’s decisive moments. Players consistently failed to synchronize ultimate abilities, and their coordinated movements lacked cohesion—flaws that Immortals repeatedly exploited. Even when Liquid managed to create favorable fight conditions, Immortals’ accumulated pressure had reached insurmountable levels.
After thirty-three minutes of controlled play, Immortals secured victory over Team Liquid through superior strategic execution, individual outplays, and enhanced team communication. Liquid paid dearly for fielding Broxah immediately upon his Stateside arrival without adequate practice integration. The new jungler had minimal opportunity to develop synergy with his teammates, while Immortals demonstrated continuous improvement throughout the season’s initial month of competition.
Team Liquid must address these integration issues before their next competitive appearance against Counter Logic Gaming.
Immortals 2020 LCS roster:
- Paul “sOAZ” Boyer
- Jake “Xmithie” Puchero
- Jérémy “Eika” Valdenaire
- Johnny “Altec” Ru
- Nickolas “Hakuho” Surgent
Action Checklist
- Implement structured practice sessions focusing on ultimate ability timing and team coordination
- Develop jungle pathing alternatives to avoid predictable early game positioning
- Establish clear communication protocols for objective control and teamfight initiation
- Create contingency plans for when early game advantages are lost
- Analyze opponent ward patterns and develop counter-warding strategies
No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » Immortals spoils Broxah’s first game with Team Liquid in the LCS Analyzing Team Liquid's strategic failures and Immortals' dominant victory in 2020 LCS Spring Split week 4